Post puller



Dec. 24, 1940. H. WESTENDORF Y 2,226,456

POST FULLER Filed May 25, 1959 INVENTOR. Henr' WEsTEndmPf BY 2 i A ATTORNEYS.-

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES POST PULLER Henry Westendorf, Halbur, Iowa, assignor to Henry J. Eischeid, Halbur, Iowa Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,259

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in post pullers and the primary object of the invention is to provide a post puller or lifter adapted to grip and elevate wooden or steel posts. Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a post puller of the character described adapted to automatically grip a post at the beginning of a working stroke and to automatically release the post during the return stroke of the puller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a post puller including hooks and a sling removably securable at its end portions to the hooks with the bight portion of the sling encircling a post.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a post puller including a novel gripping member.

Yet another object lies in the provision of a gripping member including jaw portions presenting angular gripping edges for engagement with a post.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specifi cation and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved post puller with the parts thereof positioned for gripping a steel post, the latter being shown in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the post puller with the parts thereof positioned for coaction with a sling for gripping a wooden post, the sling and post being shown in broken lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the gripping member, substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawing, which for the purpose of illustration shows only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A designates the post puller, comprising a fulcrum B, lever C and gripping member D.

The fulcrum B may include a base plate lo, a vertical channel bar I l welded or otherwise rigidly fixed at its lower end perpendicularly to the base plate I0, as by means of an upstanding fin l2, and provided at its upper end with a pair of parallel ears I3, as by removal of a portion of the channel bar to form a notch l4.

Pivotally secured between the ears l3, as by a cross bolt I5 is the lever C, including a handle end l6 and a loop end IT. The lever C may be formed of channel steel with the loop end I! in: tegrally produced as by forging.

Referring now to the gripping member D, the same preferably includes an eye portion l8 pivotally connected to the loop end ll of the lever C; a pair of hooks I9 of rectangular shape in cross section, rigidly secured to opposite sides of the eye portion, as by welding; jaw means comprising a pair of dihedrally disposed jaws ill-4| integrally secured to the eye portion l8 between 10 the hooks l9, as by welding, and provided with angular gripping edges 22-43 respectively, and a hook-like arm 24 rigidly extending from an end of the jaw 20 and terminating in a laterally offset distal end 25 in opposed relation to the jaw 20. In order to increase its strength and resistance to bending, this hook-like arm 24 preferably is of rectangular shape in cross-section rather than circular, and a maximum thickness of the arm is disposed in the direction of thrust. Thus an angular gripping edge 26 is provided which extends along the inside of the arm.

The gripping member D may be utilized in either of two positions, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In the first position, illustrated in Figure 1, the gripping member D is inclined forwardly so that the hook-like arm 24 may embrace the steel T-bar 21, shown in broken lines, with the angular gripping edges 26 and 22 contacting the web 28 and flange 29, respectively. In the second position, shown in Figure 2, the gripping member D is disposed in its normal pendant relation to the lever, with the angular gripping edge 23 facing outwardly for engagement with the relatively large wooden post 30, shown in broken lines. In this second or pendant position, the free ends of the hooks [9 are directed upwardly and the arm 24 extends downwardly and somewhat inwardly so as to not interfere with proper engagement of the edge 23 with the post. With this arrangement, a sling 3|, such as a length of chain, may be readily attached at its end portions 32 to the hooks IS with the bight portion 33 of the sling encirclingly engaging the post, as shown.

In order to lift either of the posts 21 or 30, it is only necessary to lower the handle end It of the lever, and the harder the handle is pushed, the tighter the member D will grip the post.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided an extremely strong and efficient puller for either steel or wooden posts.

Various changes may be made in the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A post puller comprising a fulcrum, a lever pivotally supported by the fulcrum, a gripping member pivotally carried by the lever and normally disposed in a pendant position, said gripping member including a jaw for engagement with a post, and a pair of spaced apart hooks at opposite sides of the gripping member, said hooks being upwardly directed upon disposition of said gripping member in said pendant position and with said jaw disposed for engagement with a post, and a sling including a bight portion for encircling engagement with the post and end portions removably securable to said hooks.

2. A post puller comprising a fulcrum, a lever pivotally supported by the fulcrum, and a gripping member pivotally carried by the lever for swinging movement between first and second positions, said gripping member for engagement with a given side of a post upon disposition of said gripping member in said first position and for engagement with a post upon disposition of said gripping member in said second position, an arm including a portion for engagement with a side of the post opposite the given side and said gripping member, upon disposition of said gripping member in said first position, and a pair g of spaced apart hooks at opposite sides of the gripping member, said hooks being upwardly directed and said arm being downwardly directed upon disposition of said gripping member in said second position, whereby to facilitate attachment of a sling at its end portions to said hooks with the bight portion of the sling encircling the post.

3. A post puller comprising a fulcrum, a lever pivotally supported by the fulcrum, a gripping member including an eye portion pivotally connected to the lever and normally supporting the gripping member in a pendant position, a jaw for engagement with a post, and a pair of spaced apart hooks at opposite sides of the eye portion, said hooks being upwardly directed upon disposition of said gripping member in said pendant position and with said jaw disposed for engagement with a post, and a sling including a bight portion for encircling engagement with the post and end portions removably securable to said hooks.

4. A post puller comprising a fulcrum, a lever pivotally supported by the fulcrum, and a gripping member including an eye portion pivotally connected to the lever and. supporting the gripping member for swinging movement between first and second positions, said gripping member for engagement with a given side of a post upon disposition of said gripping member in said first position and for engagement With a post upon disposition of said gripping member in said second position, an arm including a portion for engagement with a side of the post opposite the given side and said grippin member, upon disposition of said gripping member in said first position, and a pair of spaced apart hooks at opposite sides of the eye portion, said hooks being up- HENRY WESTENDORF. 

